Harper to be remembered for uniting Conservatives: MP McLeod

Aug 26, 2016 | 8:55 AM

KAMLOOPS — After Stephen Harper officially announced he’s giving up his MP seat in Calgary and leaving politics, the Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo MP Cathy McLeod says he will be missed the Conservative Party’s leader.

“Certainly I want to thank him for the many years of service he gave Canadians,” says McLeod. “I look at it, No. 1, bringing our party together, a party that had been splintered, making sure we came back together. Then going on in terms of 10 years of Conservative government.”

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Harper served as Prime Minister from 2006 until last October when he was defeated by Justin Trudeau in the federal election. The Conservative Party will choose a new leader next May.

While Harper was a polarizing leader, McLeod says his legacy will include leading Canada’s economy through difficult global economic times.

“The things I’m most proud of, No. 1 is we had the global recession. The steady helm with his leadership that saw Canada through very difficult time. We followed a plan and got ourselves back to balanced budgets. So certainly, I think he was the right person to be in that job at that time.”